Service dog laws are grossly abused. Able-bodied dog owners take advantage of the law that states no identification is required for service dogs, stick a vest on their dogs, and take them everywhere under the claim that the dog is a service dog. Especially when they are not well-trained, the behavior of these pets masquerading as service dogs can cause significant problems for disabled citizens with real service dogs.

The Americans with Disabilities Act states that “service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Regarding the issue of identifying service dogs, the ADA states: “When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.”

The law is written loosely to allow people in a variety of economic, physical, and living situations to have access to a service dog. Not all disabled people qualify for a dog through established organizations, are able to travel to participate in a training program, or can find a local service dog trainer qualified to help with their specific issues. It is clear, however, that the attempt to allow disabled people of all circumstances access to service dogs has led to a huge abuse of the system. Able-bodied people take their dogs everywhere with them, claim they are service dogs, and are confident that business owners will be unwilling to challenge them because of federal laws. Passing off a pet as a service dog is a misdemeanor, but the risk of legal action and negative publicity can be daunting to a business owner who questions anyone who claims to have a service dog.

SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE.

We propose a simple solution to this growing problem: legal identification that all disabled people can easily obtain. By modifying the existing process to obtain handicap access, namely handicap placards, disabled people with real service dogs can complete a form and have it signed by a physician, submit it to the DMV, and receive a small paw print sticker or something similar on a driver’s license or ID card to signify a genuine and legal need for a service dog.

Our petition is the first step to changing this legislation. Please help protect our disabled Americans who rely on their service dogs to live independent, fulfilling lives.

YOU CAN HELP! Sign our petition.

for your reference: http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm